Door toe guide



Aug. 6, 1968 F. S. HARWOOD ET'AL DOOR TOE GUIDE Filed April 20, 1966 INVENTORS FRANK STEWART HARWOOD CARL T. PRUCHA United States Patent 3,395,422 DOOR TOE GUIDE Frank Stuart Harwood, Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Carl T. Prucha, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Dover Corporation, New York,

' Filed Apr.20, 1966, Ser. No. 543,905

3 Claims. CI. 16-93) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toe guide for a horizontally sliding door having end cleaning portions and a central slotted portion which receives a guide bracket attached to the bottom of the door. The end portions are wedged shaped, and have fiat bottom surfaces which slide on a guide groove located under the door.

The present invention relates to toe guides used with horizontally sliding doors and more particularly to selfcleaning and self-aligning door toe guides for horizontally sliding doors which are substantially free from jamming.

A number of types of horizontally sliding doors, particularly those which are suspended from their upper ends, must be provided with a groove in the floor or sill to guide the lower edge of the door and an attachment is often provided for the lower end of the door which rides in this groove. Various shapes of these attachments have been provided to ease replacement thereof and allow adjustment of the door position. This attachment engaging the guide groove is often coated with material chosen for its wear-resistant and/or antifriction characteristics. A problem which has always been associated with the various door guiding arrangements for horizontally sliding doors used in the prior art has been the collection of dirt, sand and assorted debris in the guide groove which impedes the proper operation of the door by slowing down the door guide attachment, by jamming the attachment to prevent or delay opening or closing of the door and even by causing disengagement of the door attachment from the guide groove.

The invention relates to a toe guide for a horizontally sliding door which has a centrally slotted portion therein receiving a guide bracket attached to the bottom of the sliding door. The toe guide has two end cleaning portions subtending the slotted portion, each of which is wedge shaped and has a flat bottom surface which slides in a guide groove located under the sliding door. The toe guide not only provides a cleaning action for the groove, but also has a self cleaning action upon operation of the door to which it is attached. Furthermore, the toe guide is selfaligning, readily fitted to a door or replaced and substantially free from jamming. It is most useful for hung, horizontally sliding doors, such as elevator doors.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel door toe guide for a horizontally sliding door which provides a continuous cleaning action for the guide groove in which it runs upon operation of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a selfcleaning and self-aligning toe guide for a horizontally sliding door, such as a sliding elevator door, which is substantially free from jamming.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a toe guide for a horizontally sliding door comprising a central slotted attachment portion and two end cleaning portions subtending the central slotted portion at each end thereof. The central slotted portion is adapted to receive a guide bracket which is attached to the bottom of a horizontally sliding door. Each of the end cleaning portions is wedge-shaped with a substantially horizontal and flat bottom surface and an upper surface, sloped at a substantial angle to the vertical, meeting the bottom surface at the bottom and end of the toe guide to form an acute angle therewith. The toe guide is adapted to slide in a guide groove located under the horizontally sliding door.

Referring to the drawing, a perspective view of a door toe guide 1 embodying the invention is shown. The toe guide 1 has a central slotted attachment portion 2 which is adapted to receive a guide bracket 3, only a portion of which is shown in broken line. The guide bracket 3 is attached to the bottom of a horizontal sliding door (not shown), such as an elevator door. It can be seen that the toe guide 1 floats on the end of the guide bracket 3 thereby allowing considerable freedom of movement in the toe guide. The toe guide is adapted to slide in a guide groove 4 set below sill plates 5 under the sliding door to which the bracket 3 is attached, only portions of the groove 4 and plates 5 being shown in broken line.

The toe guide 1 i subtended at each end by cleaning portions 6 and, advantageously, shoulder portions 7 are located on top of the toe guide 1 between the central grooved portion 2 and the end portions 6. Each of the end cleaning portions 6 is seen to be wedge-shaped and has a substantially horizontal and flat bottom surface 8 which rests or slides in the guide groove 4. The end portions 6 have an upper surface 9 which i sloped to form the wedge shape, the slope being advantageously at a substantial angle to the vertical. Each of the upper surfaces 9 meets each of the bottom surfaces 8 at the ends of the toe guide to form an acute angle therewith, advantageously of the order of less than 45 to form a relatively sharp scooping or cleaning edge 10. The upper surface 9 advantageously has a recessed portion 11 along the length thereof which acts as a scoop and retaining channel for carrying dirt and debris up out of the groove 4.

Each of the shoulder portions 7 has projecting portions 12 extending outwardly from each side and at the top of the toe guide and a wedgeshaped portion 13 across the top thereof directed toward the end of the toe guide. The wedge-shaped portion 13 ends at and. is located above the recessed portion 11 of the upper surface 9 of the end portion 6, with this configuration having the effect of directing any dirt and debris, carried up the recessed portion 11, outwardly over the projecting portions 12 of the shoulders 7, and away from the groove 4.

The slotted attachment portion 2 of the toe guide has a vertical slot 14 running along its full length and advantageously completely therethrough as shown in the drawing. The guide bracket 3 attached to the bottom of a sliding door is seated in the slot 14 and the toe guide has considerable freedom of movement on the bracket 3. The central portion 2 advantageously has a lower surface 15 located above the bottom surfaces 8 of the end portions 6 so that it is always located in spaced relationship from the bottom of the guide groove 4. Vertical cutaway portions 16 may be located on the sides of the central portion 2 extending from top to bottom thereof for the purpose of receiving lubricating materials. The vertical slot 14 may have widened portions 17 at each end thereof to allow dirt and debris. lodged between the bracket 3 and the walls of the slot to drop free and prevent forcing of the walls of the slotted central portion outwardly by any trapped dirt with possible resultant jamming of the toe guide in the guide groove 4. The widened portions 17 of the slot 14 also serve to give the toe guide some freedom of movement in the horizontal plane to permit constant self alignment of the toe guide in the guide groove 4 despite any misalignment between toe guides, if more than one is used, and despite any misalignment of the guiding mechanism on the top of the door with the lower guide groove 4.

The toe guide is advantageously made from or coated with a material which has good wear resistant or antifriction characteristics, such as nylon.

In operation, the door toe guide of the present invention is found to provide an eflicient cleaning action in the guide groove 4 along and through which it is sliding. Thus, the cleaning edge in conjunction with the recessed portion 11 on each of the end portions 6 provides a snow plow action in scooping up dirt and debris from the guide groove 4 as the sliding door opens and closes. Dirt travels up the inclined upper surface 9 of an end portion and in the recessed portion 11, as aforedescribed, and is directed by the wedge-shaped portions of the shoulders 7 over the projecting portions 12 and onto the floor away from the guide groove 4. The fact that the toe guide is floating on and not connected to the guide bracket 3 allows the toe guide complete flexibility in the vertical plane and allows for any unevenness in the guide groove 4 and any vertical misalignment of the sliding door with this groove. Horizontal motion of the toe guide with respect to the guide bracket 3 is provided, as aforedescribed, by the enlarged portions 17 on the ends of the slot 14 and also by the fact that the toe guide is floating on and not connected to the guide bracket 3.

Smooth operation of the toe guide is enhanced by the insertion of special anti-friction or lubricating materials in the cut-away portions 16 on the sides of the toe guide. Any dirt or debris falling or lodged between the guide bracket 3 and the walls of the slot 14 drops free into the space between the lower surface of the central portion 2 and the bottom of the guide groove 4 and is then cleared out of the groove 4 by the cleaning action of the toe guide. The toe guide is seen to be very quickly and easily replaced by a new one, if necessary, and even in the unlikely dislodgement of the toe guide from the guide bracket 3, the guide bracket itself will be held within the guide slot 4 thereby keeping the door secured until the toe guide has been repositioned or replaced.

It is to be observed, then, that the present invention provides a novel toe guide for horizontally sliding doors which has a self-cleaning action and is shaped so as to prevent dirt jamming or distorting it. Furthermore, the toe guide is free floating and self-aligning in the groove direction to substantially eliminate seizing due to misalignment with another toe guide or with guide devices at the top of the door. Also, the novel toe guide described herein is of one piece construction and so designed as to eliminate wedging of dirt into and spreading of the toe guide and door jamming which would result therefrom. In addition, the toe guide is positioned on a guide bracket which secures the door should the toe guide be dislodged. Moreover, the present novel toe guide provides for easy and rapid replacement and adjustment and also provides for the use of lubricating materials in special receiving areas thereon which enhance the smooth operation of the toe guide. The toe guide is found to be especially useful for sliding elevator doors.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A door toe guide for horizontally sliding doors which comprises a central slotted attachment portion, two end cleaning portions at each end of the toe guide and two shoulder portions each located between one of the end portions and the central portion, said central slotted portion having a vertical slot running completely through the centre and along the length thereof and being adapted to receive a guide bracket attached to the hot- 4 tom of a horizontally sliding door, each of said end cleaning portions being wedge-shaped with a substantially horizontal and flat bottom surface and an upper surface, sloped at a substantial angle to the vertical, meeting the bottom surface at the end of the toe guide to form an acute angle therewith of in the order of less than 45, said upper surface having a recessed portion along the length thereof, each shoulder portion extending outwardly from each side and at the top of the toe guide and having a wedge-shaped portion across the top thereof ending at and located above the recessed portion on one of the end cleaning portions, the central portion of the toe guide having a lower surface located above the bottom surfaces of the end portions, having vertical cut-away portions extending from top to bottom along each side thereof for receiving lubricating material and having widened portions at each end of the vertical slot therethrough, and the toe guide being adapted to slide in a guide groove located under the horizontally sliding door.

2. A door toe guide for horizontally sliding doors which comprises a central slotted attachment portion, two end cleaning portions at each end of the toe guide and two shoulder portions each located between one of the end portions and the central portion, said central slotted portion having a vertical slot running completely through the centre and along the length thereof and being adapted to receive a guide bracket attached to the bottom of a horizontally sliding door, each of said end cleaning portions being Wedge-shaped with a substantially horizontal and flat bottom surface and an upper surface, sloped at a substantial angle to the vertical, meeting the bottom surface at the end of the toe guide to form an acute angle therewith of in the order of less than 45, each shoulder portion extending outwardly from each side and at the top of the toe guide and having a wedge-shaped portion across the top thereof ending at and directed towards the end cleaning portion, the central portion of the toe guide having a lower surface located above the bottom surfaces of the end portions, and the toe guide being adapted to slide in a guide groove located under the horizontally sliding door.

3. A door toe guide for horizontally sliding doors which comprises a central slotted attachment portion, two end cleaning portions substending the central slotted portion at each end thereof and two shoulder portions each located between one of the end portions and the central portion, said central slotted portion being adapted to receive a guide bracket attached to the bottom of a horizontally sliding door, each of said end cleaning portions being wedge-shaped with a substantially horizontal and flat bottom surface and an upper surface, sloped at a substantial angle to the vertical, meeting the bottom surface at the bottom and end of the toe guide to form an acute angle therewith, each shoulder portion extending outwardly from each side and at the top of the toe guide and having a wedge-shaped portion across the top thereof ending at and directed towards the end cleaning portion and said toe guide being adapted to slide in a guide groove located under the horizontally sliding door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,718,649 6/1929 Jackson 49-410 3,189,313 6/1965 Burns et al 16-93 XR BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. A. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

